Menorah Medical Center Acquires Ultra Low-Dose CT Scan Technology

The future is here for physicians and patients at Menorah Medical Center when it comes to accurately diagnosing and detecting life-threatening illnesses with lower radiation. The hospital, part of HCA Midwest Health System, Kansas City’s largest healthcare network, has added the newest generation of computed tomography (CT) to its imaging arsenal, which means that in a single rotation, physicians can see internal structures in the human body as small as a grain of sand.

Menorah Medical Center is the only hospital in Kansas City to offer this revolutionary low-dose CT scan technology. Physicians can gather high-definition clarity on tumors, intermediate risk heart disease, GI ailments such as appendicitis and other conditions to deliver a high-definition, accurate diagnosis and allow patients to receive 50 percent lower dose levels of radiation.

“This highly advanced CT scanner not only helps minimize a patient’s exposure to radiation, it will also maximize our diagnostic confidence at Menorah Medical Center,” says William M. Chase, MD, radiologist. “It is a powerful tool in diagnosing lung cancer, for instance and in performing neuro and vascular functions to help determine the best course of treatment.”

In addition, the clinically superior CT scan enables cardiologists to see even the miniscule vessels of the heart in profound precision in a non-invasive procedure. “A patient at risk for intermediate heart disease can bypass going to the cath lab for testing,” says Stephen A. Bloom, MD, cardiologist with Midwest Cardiology Associates at Menorah. “In today’s healthcare arena, it’s important that treatment is localized and quick. Futuristic technology is critical for physicians and patients.”

According to Dr. Chase, the ability for a CT scan to deliver the high-definition images while simultaneously lowering the radiation patients receive is remarkable. “Improving on patient care and outcomes is a commitment we have at Menorah,” says Dr. Chase. “This CT scan helps physicians determine appropriate treatment for commonly detected small lesions and enables the physicians to see the anatomy more clearly. Plus, lowering the radiation is especially important to pediatric patients and patients who require continued follow-up scans.”

Steven D. Wilkinson, president and chief executive officer of Menorah Medical Center, says the breakthrough capabilities offered by the hospital’s new CT scan machine represents the hospital’s dedication to the overall patient experience. “We want to offer our patients the best in technology, and this innovative CT scan is one of the many ways our physicians and staff do just that,” he says.